By bmlee18
Right now, I find myself over at Cambridge, a quaint college town with breathtaking architecture, a deep history, and a multitude of traditions that date back to hundreds of years ago. And during my very short time here thus far, I thought that I could relay some of the observations that I made.
1. The magical world of Hogwarts may very well exist. This place makes me feel like a muggle who has somehow been miraculously transported to the magical world of Harry Potter. It's almost as if the train that I took from London King's Cross Station was like hopping on the Hogwarts Express from Platform 9 3/4. Perhaps last night was the best reflection of this sentiment. I attended a beautiful candlelit dinner at my college's dining hall, donning a black cocktail dress and a black robe that all students are required to wear. The only thing we were missing were our wands. We were served a delicious three course dinner, with a palate cleanser between our appetiser and main course, as well as drinks. The night was marked with a few quirky traditions unique to this experience, and I have to say that I fully enjoyed the excellent meal and the lively environment, surrounded by good company.
2. Americans and Brits sometimes have a hard time understanding each other. For example, I will have to tune in carefully to Brits with a heavier accent, while occasionally, many Brits will respond to whatever I say with, "Excuse me? Sorry? Pardon me? Could you please repeat that?" Or when I'm around a group of Americans and we are speaking freely, many Brits will turn around and stare briefly, bewildered by the raucous group speaking a seemingly strange tongue. Prior to arriving in England, I had received a warning that went something along the lines of, "Don't go in expecting no culture shock whatsoever just because there is no language barrier." While there are differences in accents, usage, context, etc. between British English and American English, I think we can agree on the fact that the differences are rather minute compared to, let's say for example, English and Korean (my mother tongue). Despite this advice, I think I still came to the UK without having fully mentally prepared myself for the disparity I might encounter, and thus I was struck more by the sense of unfamiliarity and newness than previously reckoned.
3. Things are not always complementary. This is probably true across Europe, but things such as water and bread served at restaurants to public bathrooms are not always free. I was in London for a few days before coming to Cambridge, and I remember the struggle I had one night when I could not find a public bathroom anywhere in the vicinity. When I finally found one, I was required to pay in cash, which I did not have at the moment, so I had to continue trekking to a random hotel and sneakily get past the doorman, telling him I wanted to check in for the night at the lobby. Oh, dear.
In any case, I am very much excited to discover more about my college, the city of Cambridge, and the UK at large during my stay for the next six months!